Automatic light-selector system



Jan. 16, 1940. R CURflSS 2,187,018

AUTOMATIC LIGHT SELECTOR SYSTEM Filed Aug. 1, 1938 L2 we 45 I6 2 1 I hwy/71 0) /a M///0/77 ilk/0 45,15

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William R. Curtiss, Meriden, 001121., assignor to Air Devices Corporation, Meriden, Conn., a corporation Application August 1, 1938, Serial No. 222,460

12 Claims.

The present invention concerns a novel lightselector system for automatically and selectively controlling light-circuits. More especially, the invention relates to an improved light-selector system operable to automatically initially furnish or to maintain illumination.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a, superior light-selector system having self-acting means operable to initially furnish illumination or to maintain illumination without undue interruption, whereby need for consistent attendance on or observation of a light-system, and undesirable consequences due to lack of such attendance or notice of the operating condition of a light-system, are substantially eliminated.

Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved light-selector system automatically operable to initially furnish or to maintain adequate illumination without noticeable interruption, and thereby materially reduce inconveniences and hazards due to lighting-failuresv A further object of the present invention is to provide a sensitive automatic light-selector system responsive to failure of an illuminatingelement of a light-circuit, such as a filament, to automatically cause other illuminating-means to be operated, whereby the failure of the element of a light-circuit which is relatively more susceptible to breaking or burning-out, will cause no appreciable interruption in the operation of the light-system.

Still another object of this invention is to pro vide for a light-system employing relativelyfragile filaments which are frequently subjected to extreme operating conditions, a superior automatic light-selector arrangement, which is responsive to one of the relatively-frail filaments becoming defective to cause the operation of other illuminating-means, whereby the improved system is peculiarly well suited to maintain illumination. under trying operating conditions, and particularly where under conditions as described the avoidance of light-interruption is an essential factor of safety.

Another and further object of the invention is the provision of an automatic light-selector systern for the purposes described in which controlling-elements thereof are few in number and may be neatly and compactly assembled to effect economies, whereby the system may be readily installed in locations where limitations to available space prevail.

it is also an object of the present invention to provide an automatic light-selector system for the purposes described which is featured by simplicity and strength with respect to the construction of the parts and the arrangement of the circuits thereof, the absence of involved arrangements providing a system which can be understood, arranged and followed without difliculty, and'the parts being amply safeguarded against occurrences of sneaks, shorts or other faults and being accessible as for purposes of checking and testing, whereby maintenance care may be conveniently accomplished and is of minimum degree.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to those skilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includes all features in the said disclosure which are novel overtheprior art.

In the accompanying drawing, in whichcertain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

The single figure of the accompanying drawing is a schematic view illustrating the parts and circuits of an automatic light-selector system embodying the present invention, as applied to control headlamps of a vehicle, the system here i being shown in its neutral or off position;

In the drawing and in the description now about to follow, one form of the light-selector system of the present invention is shown and will be particularly referred to in connection with the control of the lighting of headlamps of a vehicle, such as the headlamps of a motor-vehicle.

The elements of the system apart from the circuit arrangements therefor will be first described and include two spaced headlamps schematically H indicated in the drawing within the dotted lines designated by the reference characters lliil. The headlamps iii-A3 are arranged to be illumined by electric current supplied through suitable circuits from a battery H. A manual-control. switch enclosed in dotted lines and designated as a whole by the reference character 12, is provided for the manual control of the light-circuits. These circuits, as will be understood, are energizable selectively to cause light of relatively-high or of relatively-low intensity to be emitted by the headlamps iii-Ail, as when the vehicle is being operated with what is known as bright or dim illumination, by which terms the respective C11- cuits will be designated herein.

For the purpose of maintaining illumination in the event of the failure of a circuit energized by the actuation of the manual-controlled switch, automatically operable change-over mechanism is provided. This change-over mechanism 111-,

cludes a plurality of relays. The elements of each of the said relays for convenient reference purposes have been enclosed in dotted lines and indicated as individual units, and to each of these units a general reference character has been applied.

As shown, there is provided a pilot-relay, indicated generally by'the reference character I3 and a pilot-relay designated as a unit by the reference character I4. The said pilot-relays I3 and M are, as will more fully appear, respectively. controlled by the bright-circuit and the dimcircuit of the system.

Controlled by the pilot-relay I3 is a changeover relay designated as a whole by the reference character I5. Similarly there is provided a change-over relay generally designated by the reference character I6, which relay is controlled by the pilot-relay I4.

Preferably here is also provided a tell-tale lamp II. arranged to be controlled by each of the said change-over relays in such manner as to be illumined to indicate each operation of the change-over mechanism.

The battery II mentioned above is, in the example here being described, located in a motorvehicle and one of its terminals is suitably grounded therein as by means of the conductor II. From the opposite terminal of the said battery H a main lead 88 extends to a junctionpoint l9 where it is connected with branch-leads 20 and 2!. The purpose of the branch-lead 25 will be hereinafter described and the purpose of the branch-lead 2! is to electrically connect the manual-control switch I2 with the said battery II.

For the manual control of the bright and dim circuits mentioned herein, the schematically-illustrated manual-control switch l2 may comprise acontact-blade or contact-arm 22 to which the adjacent end of the branch-lead 2| is connected. The contact-arm 22 is pivoted at 23 and its opposite end is selectively engageable with contacts 25 and 25. The said contact 25 forms part of the manually-controlled portion of the bright circuit, and the said contact 26 comprises part of the manually-controlled portion of the dim circuit for the headlamps l-I0,as will presently appear.

Automatic control of the said bright and dim circuits may be effected by means of the automatic change-over mechanism referred to herein, and which will now be more fully described.

The pivot-relay change-over mechanism includes a core 21 which carries a coil 28, whereby the operation of an armature 29 of the said pilot-relay is controlled. The armature 29 is pivoted at 30 and is normally held away from the core 21 by means of a spring 3|, in which position the said armature normally engages a contact 32 of the said pilot-relay.

Similarly, the pilot-relay I4 includes a core 33 about which is wound a coil 34, an armature 35 pivoted at 36 and normally held by means of a spring 31 away from the said core 33 and in engagement with a contact 38 of the said pilotrelay I4.

Associated with each of the pilot-relays I3 and I4 are the change-over relays I and I6 respectively. As shown, the change-over relay I5 comprises a core 39 having a coil 40, and an armature 4| pivoted at 42 and normally held away from the core 39 by means of a spring 43, Also l3 of the said automatic forming part of the change-over relay I5 are contacts 44 and 45 adapted to be engaged by the armature 4| but from which the said armature is normally held separated by the said spring 43.

The change-over relay I6 is similar to the relay I5 and comprises a core 46, a coil 41, an armature 48 pivoted at 49 and normally held from the core 46 by a spring 50. The relay I 8 also includes contacts 5| and 52 adapted to be engaged by the armature 48 but away from which the said armature is normally held by the aforesaid spring 50.

For effecting illumination of the headlamps lD-Hl through the operation of the system, each of the circuits now to be described comprises a filament located in each of the said headlamps. The bright circuit includes bright-filaments 5354, respectively included in the headlamps Ill-40, and the dim circuit includes dimfilaments 55-46 also respectively included in the said headlamps H3lli. As is clearly shown, the bright-filament 53 and the dim-filament 55 in one of the headlamps I0 are connected together at a common junction-point 51 and to a ground 58. In like manner the other bright-filament 54 and the other dim-filament 56 are connected together at one end thereof to a common junction-point 59 and ground 63. V

Each of the circuits referred to is a mu1tip1ecircuit comprising normally-open parallelingportions. One of the normally-open paralleling portions of each of the circuits is manually controlled by the manual-control switch I2 and will be referred to herein as the master-portion thereof, and the other normally-open paralleling por tion of each of the circuits is automatically controlled by the change-over mechanism, before described, and will be herein referred to as the shunt-portion thereof.

The manually-controlled master-portion of the bright-circult may be traced from the contactpoint 25 of the switch I2 through a lead 6| to a terminal-point 62 where it is joined to the portion of the bright-circuit common to the master-portion and the shunt-portion thereof. At the said terminal-point 52 the lead 6! is connected to one terminal of the coil 28 of the pilot-relay I3 which has its other terminal connected to a terminal-point 63. From the said terminal-point 63 the circuit leads by way of a conductor 64 to a terminal-point 65 where it is divided. At the said terminal-point 65 the conductor 54 is connected to one end of the bright-filament 53 of the left headlamp ID, the other end of which filament is grounded at 58. At the terminalpoint 65 theconductor 64 is also connected to a branch-lead 66 which at its opposite end is connected at a junction-point 61 to one end of the bright-filament 54 of the right headlamp l0, and the opposite end of the said filament is I connected to the ground 60. There is thus provided a grounded circuit which when closed will cause the pilot-relay I3 to become energized and which will also cause the parallelly-connected bright-filaments 53-54 of the said bright-circuit to become incandescent.

It will also be noted that at the said terminalpoint 62 there is connected a short-lead 68 leading to a junction-point 69 from which junctionpoint another short-lead leads to the armature 29 of the said pilot-relay I3, for a purpose to be described. Another lead II, which as will appear comprises part of the shunt-portion or parallel-portion of the bright-circuit is also connected through the said junction-point 69 and the short-lead 68 to the terminal-point 62, and in this manner the said shunt-portion, together with the described master-portion is joined at the terminal-point 62 to the remaining common portion of the said bright-circuit. The end of the lead H opposite its connection to the terminal-point 69 is connected to the contact 5| of the change-over relay I6.

The master-portion of the dim-circuit starts at the manual-control switch I2, one end of a lead 72 being connected to the contact 25 of the said switch and the other end of the said lead being connected to a terminal-point I3, at which point the said master-portion is joined to the remaining portion of the dim-circuit which is common to the master-portion and the shunt-portion thereof. At the said terminal-point I3 the lead I2 is connected with one terminal-end of the coil 34 of the pilot-relay I4. The circuit leads through the said coil 34 which has its other terminal connected to a terminal-point I4 and along a conductor I5 to a terminal-point I6. At the said terminal-point I6 the circuit is divided by means of leads I1 and I8. The lead 11 is connected at a junction-point I9 with one end of the dim-filament 55 of the left headlamp H]. The opposite end of the said dim-filament is connected to the common junction-point 5! and hence to the ground at 58. The other lead I8 is connected at a junction-point 80 with one end of the dim-filament 56 of the right headlamp I0, which filament is connected at the common junctionpoint 59 to the ground 60. In this manner, another grounded circuit is provided which is operable to cause energization of the pilot-relay I4 and to cause the dim-filaments 55 and 56 to become incandescent.

In a similar manner to that described in connection with the bright-circuit, the terminalpoint 13 in the dim-circuit is connected by a short-lead 82 to a junction-point 8I and from the latter another short-lead 83 is connected to the armature 35 of the said pilot-relay I4. Also connected to the said terminal-point I3 through the said junction-point 8| and the short-lead 82 is one end of a lead 84 extending to the contact 44 of the relay I5 and forming part of the shuntportion or paralleling-portion of the dim-circuit which is in this manner joined with the masterportion of the said circuit and with the remaining common portion of the said dim-circuit.

As has been referred to herein at the junctionpoint I9 of the lead I8 from the battery I I, there is connected a branch-lead 20. This branch lead 20 serves as a common lead comprising another part of the shunt-portion or parallelingportion of each of the said circuits.

At ajunctiompoint 85 along the said commonlead 25 there is connected a short-lead .86 which at its opposite end is connected to the armature 48 of the change-over relay I6 whereby the said armature is at all times electrically connected to the battery I I. The said armature 48 as, has been described is normally separated from the contacts 5! and 52 of the said change-over relay IS. The contact 5! of the said contacts is connected to the end of the lead H opposite the end thereof which at the junction-point 65 is connected by the short-lead IE to the armature 29 of the pilotrelay I3, and which through the short-lead 68 is connected to the terminal-point 62 and thus joined to the said common-portion of the brightcircuit.

From the junction-point 85 above referred to,

the said common-:lead-zflis continued to and connected with the armature 4] of the change-over relay I5, whereby the said armature M is also at all times electrically connected to the battery II. The armature M as before described is normally separated from the contacts 44--45 of the said change-over relay I5, the contact 44 of which is connected to one end of the lead 84. The opposite end of the said lead 84, as has been described, is connected at the junction-point 8! to the short-lead 83 to the armature 35 of the pilotrelay I4, and by means of the short-lead 82 is also connected to the terminal-point I3 and thereby joined to the said common portion of the dim-circuit.

For the purpose of operating each of the said change-over relays to cause its armature to engage the contacts described above, which are normally separated therefrom, an operating-circuit is provided each of which is controlled by one of the said pilot-relays of the change-over mechanism.

Connected to the contact 32 normally engaged by the armature 29 of the pilot-relay I3, is one end of a lead 8'! having its other end connected to a terminal-point 88. At the said terminalpoint 88 there is also connected one terminal of the coil of the change-over relay I5, and the other terminal-end of the said coil 40 is connected at a terminal-point 89 with a grounded conductor 90.

Similarly, the contact 38 which is normally engaged by the armature 35 of the pilot-relay I4 is connected to one end of a lead 9| which at its other end is connected to a terminal-point 92.

To this terminal-point 82 one terminal of the coil 41 of the change-over relay I6 is connected, and the other terminal of the said coil is connected at a terminal-point 93 with a grounded conductor 94.

The contacts and 52 of the respective change-over relay I5 and I6, which are normally separated from but are on occasion engageable by the armatures M and 48 respectively, are connected to one end of conductors 95 and 95 respectively. The said conductors 95 and 96 are joined at a junction-point 91 to a common-lead 98 extending to one terminal of the aforesaid tell-tale lamp I! which latter has its other terminal connected to a grounded conductor 99. In this manner the operation of either the changeover relays I5 or I6 will be indicated by the illumination of the said tell-tale lamp I1.

In operation; the movement of the contactblade 22 of the manual-control switch I2 into engagement with the bright-contact 25, for example, will close the normally-open, manuallycontrolled master-portion of the bright-circuit. Current will then pass from the battery H through main-lead I8, junction-joint I9 and lead H to the contact-blade 22, and thence through the contact-point 25 along the lead BI to the junction-point 62. From the junction-point 62 current will flow through the coil 23 of the pilotrelay I3 to the junction-point G3 and thence along the conductor 64 to the terminal-point 55 with the result that the armature 25 is pulled away from the contact 32 (Fig. 2). At the said terminal point 65the current will be divided and a portion will pass through the bright-filarnent 53 in the left headlamp Ill to the junction-point 51 and thence to ground 58. The remaining por-- tion of the current will pass along the lead 55 to the junction-point 61, thence through the bright-filament 54 in the right headlamp ii! to groundilifl by way of the junction-point 59. The

bright-circuit will thus be'completed to cause the pilot-relay l3 to become energized, and to also cause the bright-filaments 53 and 54 to become incandescent whereby a bright beam will be emitted from each of the headlamps H].

At the said junction-point 62 a part of the current flowing in the above-described circuit will seek a path by way of the lead 68 and junctionpoint 69 along the conductor 1 I and also through the lead it to the armature 29 of the pilot-relay 53. This will be without effect, since at this time the path along the conductor 'H will be open at the contact 5| of the relay l6 and will be open at the contact 32 of the pilot-relay l3, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2.

With the parts acting asabove described the respective bright-filaments 53 and 54 of the headlamps lili6 will be energized in the usual way. For the purpose of description, let it now be presumed that the bright-filament 53 of the left headlamp Ill has been burned out or otherwise ruptured.

Instantly that either or both of the brightfilaments 53 or 54 is ruptured the voltage of the current flowing through the coil 28 of the pilotrelay 93 will, of course, drop, whereupon the spring 3! of the said pilot-relay [3 will act to swing the armature 26 up into engagement with the contact 32 whereupon current will flow from the junction-point 69 to the-armature 29, contact 32 and thence through the coil 40 of the change-over relay l5. The flow of current as just described, through the coil All will cause the armature ll of the change-over relay G5 to move into engagement with both of the contacts 44 and 45 of the said'change-over relay I5 to thereby energize the tell-tale lamp l1 and cause the curpilot-relay I l, and downward through the junction-point M, conductor 15 and the two-conductors ill and I6, thereby supplying energy to a both of the dim-filaments 55 and 56 respectively of'the left and right headlamp [0-46. At the time that current flows through the coil 34 of the pilot-relay It as just described, in order to reach the dim-filaments 55 and 56, the coil 33 of the pilot-relay "M will be magnetized and cause the attraction of the armature 35 thereby drawing the latter away from the contact 38, so that at this time current is not supplied to the changeover relay 16.

With the parts in the positions just above described, both of the dim-filaments 55 and 56 are energized and the, remaining unbroken brightfilament 54 also remains energized. The lighting of the tell-tale lamp H will immediately advise the operator that one or more of his bright-filaments have ruptured, whereupon ordinarily the operator would manually-operate the manualcontrol switch 12 so as to directly couple in the dim-filaments 55 and 56 and avoid having the right headlamp showing both a dim and a brightlilament. If, however, the operator of the vehicle chooses to ignore the signal given by the tell-tale lamp i'l both of the dim-filaments 55 and 56 will remain energized as will also the unbroken bright-filament 54.

Having described above the occurrence which takes place when the operator initially chooses to operate on the bright-filaments 53 and 54, and what occurs when one of the said filaments (the bright-filaments 53) is ruptured, let it now be assumed, that initially the operator chose to energize both of the dim filaments 55 and 56. This the operator would accomplish byv turning the manual-control switch I2 to engage the arm 22 thereof with the contact 26. It will be noted that by the manipulation of the manual-control switch [2 to select initially the energization of the dim-filaments 55 and 56, the pilot-relay l4 becomes energized as well as both of the dimfilaments 55 and 56, both of which latter are dependent for their current supply upon the current flowing through the coil 34 of the said pilot-relay M.

The simultaneous energization of the pilotrelay l4 and the dim-filaments 55 and 56 will be accompanied by the movement of the armature 35 away from the contact 38, thereby preventing the energization of the change-over relay l6.

For the purpose of further making clear the operation of the improved light-selector system of the present invention, let it now be assumed that the dim-filament 55 of the left head-lamp It becomes ruptured for some reason.

The rupture of the dim-filament 55, as described (or the rupture of the dim-filament 56, or of both dim-filaments) will occasion a voltage drop in the coil 34 of the pilot-relay H5, thereby enabling the spring 31 to draw the armature 35 of the said pilot-relay upwardly into engagement with the contact 38. This engagement of the armature 35 with the contacts 38 will cause the energization of the change-over relay IS. The energization of the change-over relay l6, as just described, will cause the armature 48 thereof to be drawn downwardly into engagement with both of the contacts 5! and 52, thereby simultaneously energizing the tell-tale lamp II by means of the contact 52 and both of the bright-filaments 53 and 54 by means of current supplied by way of the contact 52, the conductor 12, the coil 28 of the pilot-relay l3 and the conductors connected thereto.

Under the conditions just above described, both of the bright-filaments 53 and 54, as well as the unruptured dim-filament 56 of the right headlamp Ill, willbe energized and the tell-tale lamp ll will advise the operator of the vehicle that one of the filaments has been ruptured.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by means of the automatic light-selector system of the present invention, when either or both of the bright-filaments 53 and 54 become ruptured, the system will shift over and automatically energize the dim-filaments 55 and 56 and will simultaneously advise the operator of the vehicle, by,

means of the tell-tale lamp l1, that a rupture has occurred. Conversely, and in substantially the same manner, should the operator have initially chosen to energize the dim filaments 55 and 56 and should either or both thereof become ruptured, the system will automatically cause the venergization of the bright-filaments 53 and 54 the other circuit cannot be closed at the same' time and the two light-circuits, therefore, cannot be inadvertently or unintentionally energized at the same time.

Also, it will be observed that when either of the light-circuits becomes defective and current passing therethrough causes a change-over relay to function to close the shunt-portion of and thus complete the other light-circuit, that the pilot-relay of the light-circuit thus completed will operate to open-circuit the change-over relay controlling the shunt-portion of the defective circuit. By this arrangement the manually-controlled master-portion and the automaticallycontrolled shunt-portion of the same light-circuit cannot be closed at the same time.

The provision of a pilot-relay and a changeover relay for each of the light-circuits makes it possible to employ simple and direct circuits which are free of complications. This removes causes of shorts, sneaks and other faults and enables the system to be readily installed and to be fully accessible for checking or the like.

The above and other apparent advantages of the light-system of the present invention do away with objectionable conditions which, resulting in failure or improper functions of elements, may cause an automatic light-system of itself to be the responsible cause of lighting-failures.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current-supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; normally-open lightcircuits for connecting the current-supply with the illuminating-means; a circuit-closer device operable to selectively close any of the lightcircuits; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including a change-over relay for each light-circuit, operating-means for each change-over relay controlled by another of the electrically-independent light-circuits; one of the said operating-means being responsive to failure in a portion of one side of a first, selectively operated light-circuit to close an operating-circuit for the change-over relay for a second light-circuit, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said second light-circuit, and the changeover relay thereby energized operating to actuate contact-means thereof to automatically close the said second electrically-independent light-circuit and operate other illuminating-means.

2. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current-supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; normally-open ligh circuits for connecting the current-supply with the illuminating-means; a circuit-closer device operable to selectively close any of the lightcircuits; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including change-over relay-means, pilot-relays controlling the change-over relay-means, one of the pilot-relays being operably-controlled by each electrically-independent light-circuit, and each pilot-relay comprising" operating-means for saidchange-over relay means, one of the saidpilot relays being responsive to failure in a portion of one side of a first-selectively opera-ted lightcircuit to cause its said operating-means to close an operating-circuit for the change-over relaymeans, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of a second light-circuit, and the change-over relay-means thereby energized acting to operate contactnneans thereof to automatically close the second electrically-independent light-circuit and operate other illuminatingmeans.

3. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current-supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; normally-open lightcircuits for connecting the current-supply with the illuminating-means; a circuit-closer device operabie to selectively close any of the lightcircuits; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically independent and in.- cluding a change-over relay for each electricallyindependent light-circuit, a pilot-relay in each electrically independent light-circuit controlling a change-over relay for another of the electrically independent light-circuits, and each pilotrelay having an armature and contact-means comprising operating-means for one of the said change-over relays; one of the said pilot-relays being responsive to failure in a portion of a first, selectively operated light-circuit for causing the armature and contact-means thereof to close an operating-circuit for the change-over relay for a second light-circuit, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said second light-circuit and the thereby operated changeover relay actuating contact-means thereof to automatically close the said second electricallyindependent light-circuit to operate other illuminating-means.

4. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current-supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; normally-open lightcircuits for connecting the current-supply with the illuminating-means; self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including a change-over relay for each light-circuit, and pilot-relays each having a coil and armature in circuit with one of the electrically-independent light-circuits, the armature and normally engaged contact-means of each pilot-relay comprising part of an operatingcircuit for one of the said change-over relays, and each of the change-over relays controlled by one of the pilot-relays having an armature in circuit With a portion of another one of the said e1ectri-- cally-independent light-circuits and contactm'eans normally separated from the armature; a circuit-closer device operable to selectively'close any of the light-circuits to operate illuminatingmeans and to cause the pilot-relay therein to open-circuit the change-over relay controlled thereby; one of the said pilot-relays being responsive to failure in a portion of one side of a first, selectively operated light-circuit for causing the armature and contact-means of the said pilot-relay to reclose the operating-circuit for the change-over relay, for a second light-circuit, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said second light-circuit and the armature and contact-means of the thereby operated change-over relay operating to automatically close the said second electrically-independ-' ent light-circuit to operate other illuminatingmeans.

5. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current-supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; light-circuits, each including normally-open master and shuntportions, each of the light-circuits being operable to electrically connect the current-supply with a plurality of illuminating-devices; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continu thereof to close the shunt portion of and thereby automatically complete the said second of the electrically-independent light-circuits to operate the said plurality of illuminating-devices controlled thereby.

6. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current-supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; light-circuits, each including normally-open master and shunt-portions, each of the light-circuits being operable to electrically connect the current-supply with a plurality of illuminating-devices; a circuitcloser device operable to selectively close any of the master-portions to operate a plurality of the said illuminating devices; and self-acting changeover mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically independent and including change-over relaymeans, pilot-relays solely controlling the changeover relay-means, one of the pilot-relays being operably-controlled by each electrically-independent light-circuit and each pilot-relay comprising operating-means for said change-over relay means; one of the said pilot-relays being responsive to failure in a portion of one side of a first, selectively operated light-circuit to cause its said operating-means to close an operatingcircuit for the change-over relay-means, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of a second light-circuit, and the change-over relay-means thereby energized acting to actuate contact-means thereof to close the shunt-portion of and thereby automatically complete the said second of the electrically-independent light-circuits to operate the said plurality of illuminatingdevices controlled thereby.

7. An automatic light-selector system comprising: a source of current supply; illuminatingmeans operable therefrom; light-circuits, each including normally-open master and shuntportions, each of the light-circuits being operable 1 to electrically connect the current-supply with a plurality of illuminating-devices; a circuit-closer device operable to selectively close any of the master-portions to operate a plurality of the said illuminating-devices; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including a single change-over relay for each electrically-independent light-circuit, a single pilot-relayin each electrically-independent light-circuit solely controlling the change-over relay of another of the electrically-independent light-circuits and each pilot-relay having an armature and contact-means comprising operating-means for one of the said change-over relays; one of the said pilot-relays being responsive to failurein a portion of one side of a first, selectively operated light-circuit for causing the armature and contact-means thereof to be actuated to close an operating-circuit for the change-over relay for a second light-circuit, the said Operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said second light-circuit and the thereby-operated change-over relay operating contact-means thereof to close the shunt-portion of and thereby automatically close the said second of the electrically-independent light-circuits to operate the said plurality of illuminating-devices controlled thereby.

8. An automatic light-selector system for headlamps comprising: a source of current-supply: normally-open ligh -circuits for connecting the current-supply with the headlamps, each of the said light-circuits including a filament located in each of two separated headlamps; a switch manually-operable to selectively close a lightcircuit to cause incandescence of the filaments thereof; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including a single change-over relay for each electrically-independent light-circuit, operatingmeans for solely controlling each change-over relay and in turn controlled by another of the electrically-independent light-circuits; one of the said operating-means being responsive to failure of a filament in a first, selectively operated lightcircuit to close an operating circuit for the change-over relay for a second light-circuit, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said second light-circuit, and the change-over relay thereby energized operating to actuate'contact-means thereof to automatically close the said second electrically-independent light-circuit and cause the filament thereof in each of the said headlamps to become incandescent.

9. An automatic light-selector system for headlamps comprising: a source of current-supply; normally-open light-circuits for connecting the current-supply with the headlamps, each of the said light-circuits including a filament located in each of two separated head-lamps; a switch manually-operable to selectively close a light-circuit to cause incandescence of the filaments thereof;

and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective lightcircuits electrically-independent and including change-over relay-means, pilot relays solely con- 1 '10. An automatic light-selector system for head-lamps comprising: a source of currentsupply; normally-open light-circuits for connecting the current-supply with the headlamps, each of'the said light-circuits including a filament located in each of two separated head-lamps; a switch manually-operable to selectively close a light-circuit to cause incandescence of the filaments thereof; and self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including a single change-over relay for each light-circuit, a single pilot-relay in each electrically-independent light-circuit solely controlling the change-over relay for another of the light-circuits, and each pilot-relay having an armature and contact-means comprising operating-means for one of the said change-over relays; one of the said pilot-relays being responsive to failure of a filament in a first, selectively operated light-circuit for causing the armature and contact-means thereof to close an operatingcircuit for the change-over relay for a second light-circuit, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said second lightcircuit and the thereby operated change-over relay operating contact-means thereof to automatically close the said second electrically-independent light-circuit and cause the filament thereof in each of the said headlamps to become incandescent.

11. An automatic light-selector system for head-lamps comprising: a source of current-supply normally-open light-circuits for connecting the current-supply with the headlamps, each including a filament located in each of two separated headlamps; self-acting change-over mechanism arranged to continuously maintain the respective light-circuits electrically-independent and including a single change-over relay for each electrically-independent light-circuit, and pilotrelays each having a coil and armature in circuit with one of the electrically-independent lightcircuits, the armature and normally engaged contact-means of each pilot-relay comprising part of an operating-circuit for one of the said changeover relays, and each of the change-over relays controlled by a pilot-relay in one of the lightcircuits having an armature in circuit with a portion of a, different one of the electrically-independent light-circuits and contact-means comprising part of another portion of the said different one of the light-circuits and normally separated from the armature thereof; a switch manually-operalcle to selectively close a light-circuit to cause the filaments thereof to become incandescent and to cause the pilot-relay in the said light-circuit to open-circuit the change-over relay controlled thereby; one of the said pilot-relays being responsive to failure of a filament in a first, selectively operated light-circuit for causing the armature and contact-means thereof to reclose the operating-circuit for the change-over relay for a second light-circuit, the said operating-circuit being electrically-independent of the said light-circuit and the armature and contactmeans of the thereby operated change-over relay operating to automatically close the second electrically-independent light-circuit and cause the filaments thereof in each of the headlamps to become incandescent.

12. An automatic light-selecting system, including in combination: a source of currentsupply; first lighting-means; second lightingmeans; electrical conductors serving to connect the aforesaid lighting-means with the said source of current-supply; a single pilot-relay connected in series with the first lighting-means and having circuit-controlling means electrically connected with the said first lighting-means and electrically-independent of the said second lighting-means; a single change-over relay electrically connected to the said pilot-relay so as to be controlled 'by the circuit-controlling means thereof and energized by a circuit electrically independent of the said second lighting-means, the said change-over relay having circuit-controlling means connected to the said second lightingmeans for supplying current thereto when the aforesaid pilot-relay fails to receive current due to the failure of the first said lighting-means.

WILLIAM R. CURTISS. 

